Draft-key-locking means



L. J. BROWN DRAFT KEY LOCKING MEANS May 14, 1929.

Filed Aug. 6, 1925 Patented May 14,1929.

LLOYI) 3'. BROWN, EVANS'ION, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 E.

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

BAYSON SMITH, O1

DRAFT-KEY-LOGKING MEANS.

Application filed August 6, 1925. Serial No. 48,439.

My invention relates to means for locking the usual draft keys in placeagainst accidental removal and loss; the invention contemplating meansadapted to engage with the tapered or tail end of the draft key and ofsuch. construction as to provide a com- 7 paratively large bearing orcontact surface with the adjacent side of the center sill mem ber orreenforcing element or cheek plate se cured to the center sill andthereforea construction which is adapted to withstand the strains andstresses to which it may be subjected through the back and forwardmovement of the draft keys at varying angles em countered in movement ofthe car along curves or irregularities in the right of way.

The advantages and objects of In 1 lnven- 'tion will be readilycomprehended from the following detailed description of the constructionillustrated in the drawing, where- Figure 1 is a plan view of a portionof the center sill of a car, the coupler and portions of the draftrigging, with my improved locking means shown applied to the draft keys.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2+2 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an elevation of my improved locking means shown applied to adraftkey which is shown in section.

Figure d is a perspective view of one ele ment of the locking means. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end of a draft key which isadapted to receive my improved locking means. 7

In the exemplification of the invention, the center sill members areshown at 10, 10 with their outer sides provided with reenforcing orcheek plates 11 which are riveted thereto at 12- in a manner usual incar construction. The drawing, in Figure 1, also illustrates a portionof the draft rigging yoke at 13 disposed between the two center sillmembers 10, 10; the center Slll member, reenforcmg or cheek plates 11and the draft rigging yoke 13 being provided with registering slotsadapted to receive the draft keys shown at 14, 14. The draft keys at oneend are usually provided with a head 15 of size greater than the widthof the slots through which the keys pass, so that movement of the keysin one direction, beyond a certain point, is prevented by the heads 15.p a

The present method of retaining the draft keys in place, in addition tothe head 15, con sists in providing the tail or tapered end 16 of thekey with an aperture therethrough to receive a cotter-pin- It has beenfound in practice that the use of cotter-pins, or. other comparativelysmall pins, for holding the draft keys against longitudinal movement isentirely inadequate because of the constant shifting of the draft keysin abackward and forward direction induced by the forces and shocksencountered and at varying angles resulting from the movement of the cararound track curves or across other irregularities in the track, as forexample switching back and forth; the draft rigging with the draft keysat such times being subjected to enormous strains resulting from theamount of power necessary to pull the loads and which strains or impactsrange as high as four or five hundred thousand pounds. The shifting ormovement of the draft keys causes the cotterpins to be brought upagainst the center sill members or cheek plates where they are subjectedto shearing strains which frequently shearoif the cotter-pins and thusallow the draft keys to work longitudinally in the direction of thedraft key headgwith the further result that the draft keys, themselves,be

come sheared due to the heavy impacts, thus permitting the couplers todrop out of place and either result inderailments or other disasters.

My invention contemplates locking means which may be readily applied tothe tail or tapered end of the draft key; the draft key having itstapered or tail end 16, ata suitable distance away from the immediateend, provided with a suitable contact or abutting p013 tion preferablyin the nature of the slots or sockets 17, 17 on both longitudinal edgesof the key as more clearly shown in Figure 5. The draft key may beforged with the slots 17 17 which are adapted to receive the comentirecasting being preferably provided with a reenforc'ing web as at 20 alongwhat may be termed the inner side, that is to say the side which isintended to be disposed toward the center sill or reenforcing member orcheek plate secured to the same. The intermediate or'U-shape portionofthe casting on the side last referred to is provided on the innererimeter or concave side with an arcuate oss or rib as at 21 conformingin curvature somewhat with the curved edges of the draft key 14 orrather with the curvature of the portioniwitliin the slot 17 of thedraft key;

, disposed ends 19 of the U-shape castings or the jareuate boss or rib21 being of'width slightly less'than the width of the slots 17 so as tofreely enter said slots. 1 The outwardly members '18areleachapertured sothat when the correlated or complementary members 18,

18 are placedabouttheslotted end of the draft key with the outwardlyturned ends of both member's 18, arranged in parallel juxtaposition asshown i'nFigures 1 and 3, the openings 22 in the ends 19 are'in registerto receive a'suitable'bolt asat 23 which is provided with a nut as at24'so that when the boltsand nuts areserewed up or tightened,

' the complementary members 18 will be drawn together with the, arcuatebosses 21 firmly seatedin' the slots onboth sides of the draftkey[ Thecomplementary members 18, there- I fore are 'firmly'elamped onto the endof the draft key and are held against any movement because theverticaldimension of the opening I betweenfthe complementary members 18,18 1s just' sufl icient}to receive the key and as a g 7 result atwisting movement of the members about the draft key isiinpossible Inorder toprevent possibility of'thenuts 24 becoming loose and screwingoff thebolts 23, I' prefer to provideea eh bolt '23 with an aperture'tore-, 7 'ceivefmeans'for preventing the unscrewing of the nuts, as forexample a cotter-pin as shown 1 quickly applied to the draft keyswithout in- V y will not inter v I the slots in the center sill andother correlated at'25liil igure V v y I As] is apparent [from theconstruction shown, my improved locking means can be te rfering with thecarunderfr'ame or draft rigging construction; it being merely necessaryto provide the tail end of the draft keys wit an engaging surface orportion which ere with its insertion through elements, but which :willpermita locking rei lation to be obtained betweenthe correlate-d members18 and the draft key when the members'ha-ve been bolted together asshown and described. That is to say, in addition to the usual head, theother end of the draft key mustbe provided with some contact surface orcooperating formation whereby the immediate end of the draft keypresents a surface or port-ion of dimensions greater than the dimensionsof the opening formed by the two complementary members 18 when thelatter have been secured together.

With my construction the draft keys will not only be firmly locked inplace again accidental removal, but the draft keys may be removed ifnecessary by simply removlng the bolts 23 from the clamp members 18;while at the same time means of such nature are provided as to easilywithstand the strains to which it may be subjected by movement of thedraft keys in a longitudinal direction so as to bring the locking meansinto frictional or rubbing engagement with the center sill member or itsreenforcing or cheek plate.

I have shown a simple adaptation of my invention, which has beendescribed in terms employed merely as terms of descri tion and not asterms of limitation, as mo ifications are possible and may be madewithout, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a draft ke the longitudinal edges of the tail endw ereof are slotted, a pair of complementary U-shaped members adapted tobe isposed transversely from opposite sides of the draft key, Saidmembers on their concaved sides being each provided with an inwardlyextending rib adapted to seat in the draft key slots when said membersare secured in place, and means whereby the ends of said members aredrawn together into key-engaging relation.

2. Draft key lockin means, comprising, in combination with a raft key,the opposite longitudinal sides whereof are slotted a pair ofcomplementary transversely slotted members adapted to fit about theopposite longitudinal edges of the draft key, each of said members beingprovided with a rojection disposed into the slot beyond the inner endthereof and adapted to seat in a slot in the draft key, and meanswhereby said members are secured together and held in gripping relationwith the draft key.

3. Draft key locking means, com risi a pair of complementary members aapte to extend about the longitudinal edges of a draft key withtheopposing ends of said members arranged intermediate of the edges of thedraft key, said members being provided at one side with vertical wallsincreasing in vertical dimensions toward the opposing ends, incombination with a draft ke the opposite longitudinal sides whereof, adaeent to the tail end, are formed to receive the inner perimeters ofsaid members, and means for drawing said members together into clampingre ation with the draft key.

4. Draft key locking means, comprising, in combination with a draft key,the opposite longitudinal edges whereof are transversely of each memberbeing provided with an arcuate rib adapted to seat in the draft-keyslots, and means engaging both ends of each {10' member whereby themembers are clamped together and said arcuate ribs forced into thedraft-key slots.

LLOYD J. BROWN.

